1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to picture hooks and, more specifically, to picture hooks with a safety closure feature.
2. Prior Art
Search of the prior art in the United States Patent Office reveals several patents which disclose and claim picture hooks which are related to but do not anticipate salient features of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,631 (Shorin) issued Jan. 21, 1975, shows a picture hook having a "wire trapping flap component". U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,825 (Genua) discloses a picture hanger with a locking hook. However, these patents fail to show or suggest a structure in which secured locking of the picture cord is achieved while at the same time permitting easy release of the locking feature so that the picture may be easily removed.
In times of earthquakes, large vertical motion may occur in the structure in which the picture hook is being used with the resultant dislodging of the hanger cord from the picture hanger and loss and possible destruction of valuable artistic or other artifact which was suspended from the particular picture hook in the structure suffering the effects of the earthquake. This was particularly true in California in a recent earthquake and this inventor decided that it would be desirable to develop some means for securing the picture cord in the picture hanger, while at the same time providing an easy means for release of the safety feature so that the picture or other artifact suspended from the picture hook could be easily removed, when desired.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the shortcomings of prior art devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a picture hanger which secures the picture or other suspended artifact in place while, at the same time, permitting easy removal of the picture or artifact when such removal is desired.